mortality
by achieving elysium
Summary: "He can't and won't pretend what is between them will last forever. But kiss by frozen kiss, laugh by laugh, he is slowly turning human again. And not even Death will do them part, for eternity is not enough time and the world is not large enough for the two of them." AU. Zethes is as capable of love as anyone else, and Piper loves him for that. First Zethes/Piper, 101 themes.


**mortality**

_i am sorry, my darling, that we must play this game__." __  
_01. aurora borealis

The flickering lights are beautiful, he thinks, all green, pink, and gold. This is what her eyes would look like, maybe, if she would love him as well.

02. whaling

He remembers a time, maybe not long ago, when his father would take him out on the ice to go whaling. And every time, he could not bring himself to kill the whales, their beautiful sounds echoing in frigid air. A little piece of magic he cannot keep.

03. subhuman

He is an ice angel, the Boread, the winter spirit. Everything about him is cold; Zethes' skin, his white hair, his smile. But still, a part of him is human. Blood runs through his veins.

04. ribaldry

D-List goddess. He laughs, the sweet sound of love ringing through the air. It is not funny, though, as she looks at him as if he is nothing to her.

05. smile

Her smile is absolutely captivating. It irks him that she is so beautiful sometimes.

06. overlord

He is a prince, one who enjoys playing chess. Divide and conquer. After all, princes get what they want, don't they?

07. whoever

Whoever would dare to go against him? The ice crackles, inching its way forwards, softly, slowly.

08. blaspheme

Piper McLean may simply be pretty outside, but inside, she is beauty in its most pure form. He utters curses at the gods, for she is the one he cannot help but be drawn to, over and over, again and again.

09. distaste

His sister curls his lip in distaste, her features contorting in the dim light. He walks away.

10. ethereal

He manages to find her somehow. She sits on floating ice, her ankle severely twisted. Unshed tears gleam as he offers her a hand. She takes it, reluctantly, and messy as she may be, the girl is still the most ethereal being he has met.

11. hesitant

The girl is hesitant, at first, so he decides he will change tactics. He does these little things for her every day, giving her small, white-petaled flowers and bringing food, sending notes and chocolates, holds the doors open and pulls out her chair, tells her little jokes and stories about himself. He gives her these little pieces of himself no one has seen.

12. tour

He shows her around the streets of Quebec, pointing out the old buildings. The wonder on her face is different, new, like that of a child's, an expression he hasn't seen in a long time. She thanks him profusely after that, even taking his hand for a second, tracing maps into his skin.

13. implore

Sometimes, she will be found by a window, staring as white covers the city gently. In those moments when her eyes are tender, he asks her about everything and anything. She answers almost every question.

14. imperfect

She cares for him now, for every part of him, even the jagged scars that trace every part of his skin. One of the reasons why he still loves her, because she does not care that there are imperfections in him and instead turns them into little wonders.

15. disposable

Khione mentions to him, offhandedly, that Piper is disposable. He needs not to care for her. He gets angry, then, yelling at her that Piper is the most fascinating, interesting mortal he has ever had the chance to meet. When he leaves, he finds the girl in question crouching outside the door, who has heard every word he has defended her with.

16. armband

She always seems to be wearing a bracelet or armband of some sort; in a bout of friendship, he buys her one.

17. fish

Piper is vegetarian, he finds out. So instead of fishing, he brings her to the edge of a lake, and they sit and let the fish slide between their fingers. Their scales glisten a bright, hopeful gold as their hands touch, briefly.

18. life raft

At moments, he just cracks like an old statue. He dreams strange things, sees strange people, but every time he wakes up, Piper is there, a life raft saving him from drowning.

19. edging

They will sit at this large, wooden table to eat. He keeps edging his chair over to be closer to her.

20. remembrance

There are those days in which he will think of his friends, the fallen heroes. She comes and stands by him, taking his hands, and thinks of her loved ones as well.

21. all

It is all or nothing, as they say. He thinks of this when he presses his lips to hers in a frozen kind of kiss.

22. part

She is two parts blood and two parts ichor; he is two parts immortal and one part human.

23. uncomprehending

When he asks her to stay with him, _please_, she stares at him, not quite understanding his soft words. But he asks her again, touches her face, and she nods and says _yes, yes, i will. _

24. new world

It's a new world they have built, a small one just for the two of them. No. One. Else.

25. puzzle

Love is still this big mystery that he is scared of. He doesn't quite know what to do with his hands, what to do when she stares at him, what to do when his pulse quickens in some odd way. But that's okay.

26. daddy longlegs

Apparently, spiders are creepy. He always makes sure there are none hiding in the dark corners of the palace.

27. craze

It is this craze of love that drives him.

28. storekeeper

Her birthday is this surreal afternoon. They dance in the wet streets, and later at night he brings her to his favorite mortal shop. It is small and out of the way, where all the hidden treasures are found. The bell jingles, and the storekeeper gives him a knowing look and a discount.

29. zucchini

He isn't half-bad of a cook, actually. There are the special days where they make lunch together, grilled zucchini and salad. The warmth doesn't affect him at all nowadays.

30. bouquet

Flowers make her so happy, and she always get excited when he brings her new ones. The smile on her face is worth it.

31. confiscate

When he displeases her, she always punishes him. After a few days, he will always tell her that he'll do his best as to not make the same mistake again.

32. tang

He likes oranges. They have this hard, sweet flavor to them that make them nearly irresistible. There always seems to be one in front of his door in the mornings.

33. drawing

They are both terrible at drawing, but when one of them pulls out paper, it instantly becomes a contest, no matter how bad they are.

34. whitewash

The walls are whitewashed, but the reflection of them turns the walls different colors.

35. oblivious

Piper is completely oblivious to the looks he gives her. She's always looking at something else when he finds himself captivated by the fascination on her face.

36. piece

It is nice, piecing a life together, bit by bit. Something new rising from the ashes.

37. unused

A scarf he finds in one of his many drawers. It is unused; he does not need it to protect himself against the cold. He decides he will give it to her, then, and let her wear it in place of him.

38. nuzzle

She will press her cheek into his shirt at times when he is not paying attention. When he looks down, her head is pressed up against his chest as she listens to his heartbeat.

39. untold

They sneak onto rooftops and point at hidden stars; the untold stories of lovers.

40. guitar

He plays the guitar for her, sings ballads about lost loves and shipwrecks, strums notes that fill empty rooms. She watches with quiet interest, her chin resting on her knees. And together they feel the vibrations of lost loves and shipwrecks.

41. permanent

She tells him about Annabeth, who had been a friend of hers. She says Annabeth had always been looking to build something, to discover something permanent; he notes that Annabeth could discover them.

42. of course

When she wakes up in the middle of the night, knocks at his door and stands there, shivering, he always lets her in. She stays with him, silently asking if he will let her. As she falls asleep, he always whispers a soft _of course _in her ear.

43. manipulate

He always manages to snag one more kiss out of her before they part.

44. fox

His father doesn't mind the relationship. He says it is good for Zethes, to be in love. He himself had once pressed cold lips to warm ones. Every time Boreas says that, it is with a smile and a wink, sly as a fox.

45. fee

There is no price to love that he can think of except for its ending. But second after second, it does not end.

46. expressionless

Khione will glare at him when they bump into each other. She is jealous, her tongue sharp with bitter words. He squeezes Piper's hand and stays expressionless.

47. square dance

A clear, cool night when she suggests they dance. He has never before danced with a girl, so they stumble around stepping on each other's toes, laughing. The music pulses as fast as his heart.

48. fibre

It is the little moments, the little gestures, that make him love her with every fibre of his being.

49. proportional

During the nightmare nights, the bed is not proportional, really. He lets her have the bigger half without complaint.

50. smoke

In colder temperatures, her breath comes out as wisps of smoke. She says for the few seconds it lasts, she sees it as a sign of them, together.

51. compete

As they eat Chinese food, they always compete over the last piece of kung-pao chicken in a ruthless chopstick war.

52. disagree

They disagree on a lot of things. It's always the little things, like the color of the sea, always changing, or about who is the better kisser. (Of course he is.)

53. narcissism

It's never _me, me, me_, when they talk. It's always _how are you, good for you, i love you. _

54. roadside

It's the roadside endeavours- where they eat crepes and shove each other- that make him smile. They hold hands a lot.

55. unmanly

Unmanly, but he melts when she sings. Not literally.

56. gravity

Gravity cannot bring him down by will anymore. He chooses when to land in the places where sadness is present.

57. farewell

No farewells have been exchanged.

58. upholster

He'll take her out on outings. They travel to other places of Canada, to the small towns. The hotels have beds and chairs with dark red fabric. The color looks good against their bare skin.

59. pounce

She gets him a silver kitten, a male, with a moon etched on his forehead. The little ball of fur is surprisingly very companionable, and Puck will pounce onto his head to snuggle in his hair.

60. friendly

No more friend-zone for him, he jokes to himself. What friends would kiss?

61. sorcery

Her charmspeak is more powerful than Circe's, he muses. Her song more enchanting than that of the Sirens. It is her laughter that draws him to her the most.

62. agreement

They don't argue on _everything_.

63. observance

On cold nights, when the skies are so black they look blue, Piper tells him about the universe. They are simple observers, of it, of a universe that is vying for attention. She doesn't sound sad whenever she says that; she is the kind of girl content to watch the spotlight and not step in it.

64. fatigue

He is never tired whenever she is around. His nerves tingle when they brush hands.

65. particular

Piper is very specific and straight to the point about what she wants. He flashes her white smiles and never tells her no.

66. evasion

Every time she gets upset and ignores him, he knows he's gotten something wrong. It always takes him a little while to figure out, but by that time, she has, ah, cooled down.

67. three-dimensional

Silver lights line the streets, giving it an eerie look. Three-dimensional is real, the way people see things. He's sure they are more than that.

68. primordial

The Fates have been called cruel. He figures they are an exception, showing the gods that the impossible can happen. Fortune must favor the brave.

69. mystery

The light falls on dark skin so beautifully; he wonders how they can seem to fit so perfectly next to each other. There is light in dark, though.

70. photography

She works on this project. He doesn't know what it is, but she takes lots of photos. He walks into her room one day and finds photos strung to the ceiling. She sees him and trails a hand through the pictures, spinning them in lazy circles, and tells him that these are the memories she will never forget.

71. unruffled

Piper is always perfect, even on the snow days when white covers her like a blanket.

72. day-to-day

He wakes up and wonders how just how he was so lucky.

73. flute

The Pied Piper is no longer a childhood fairy-tale.

74. stallion

He loves riding, but she has never ridden. He takes her to the stables and helps her up on the back of an ink-black stallion, his eyes gleaming. She's always scared; he always tells her this is what it is like to be free.

75. propose

It's stupid, and he must look like a sappy mortal, but he does get down on one knee with a ring and everything.

76. bookworm

He used to go the corner bookstore alone. Now he walks with another as they sip coffee (iced frappuccino for him) and fangirl about books like _The Fault in Our Stars_ or _The Museum of_ _Thieves. _

77. shell

Seashell, seashell, by the sea shore. Withered and worn, but beautiful still.

78. tlc

On _those _kind of days, whether they want to cry about Augustus Freaking Waters or _the feels, oh, gods, the feels, _all they really need is a little TLC.

79. damnation

Perhaps he will go to hell later on, for his crimes. He doesn't care.

80. information

Cal always mentions those embarrassing moments during the whole 'family reunion' thing. It's funny to see Khione's face as it turns purple with anger, grossed out as she says _too much information. _

81. glitter

Her eyes shine like pale pearls in moonlight.

82. operation

Operation Get-Back-at-the-D-List-Goddess was a 100% success.

83. controller

She introduces him to this weird technology called the X-Box. Her hands fly over the buttons while he struggles to control the joystick and the buttons at the same time.

84. manatee

He's pretty sure manatees are some kind of whale; she firmly believes they are dolphins. Either way, the calls of the _whales _(not dolphins) are beautiful.

85. screen

They somehow end up dancing during the credits, the movie screen showering ghostly lights on them.

86. antidote

He spirals into depression at times, when there are triggers. She's his antidote, every step of the way.

87. love

What a messy thing, love.

88. elsewhere

The clouds seem otherworldly, from elsewhere, but he wonders if he can touch them with his fingers. Maybe he can. He has never really tried, but Piper just smiles as if she knows something he doesn't.

89. sled

He sleds down Khione's 'special hill' two times, just to spite her. The first time is alone. The second time is not.

90. normally

There is nothing normal about either of them.

91. front

The warm front sweeps through and finally reaches Quebec. He is scared, watching the snow melt. But when he steps outside, he finds that the heat does not bother him as it did many years ago. He just laughs.

92. French

They hold conversations in French sometimes. It is known as the language of love, after all.

93. king

One day, he will be the king of the castle. And even though Khione is the little princess, she will most definitely not be queen.

94. mulberry

The little berries are sweet, a taste of winter on his tongue. He presses their lips together, so she can taste a little bit of winter, too.

95. key

So many doors. And there are so many keys for the doors. Each clicking sound is another wall she's broken down and gotten past.

96. greeting

The bellhop greets them, _my Lord, my Lady_, whenever they walk in. She turns beet red, but he thinks it's cute.

97. mew

Puck grows bigger now, the little kitten larger than his palm. He often wakes up the cat's eyes gleaming from underneath the bedsheets, fur pressed up against Piper's arms.

98. cue

Of course Boreas is involved in his love life. There always seems to be some form of excitement when he walks into the throne room, like he cues an invisible celebration.

99. synchronize

They are so synchronized to each other; frozen lips over hot ones, the sound of creaking beds filling an empty night.

100. breathless

She always leaves him breathless after she kisses him. Almost like she is his life source, and without her, he withers away, softly and surely.

101. eternal

He can't and won't pretend what is between them will last forever. But kiss by frozen kiss, laugh by laugh, he is slowly turning human again. And not even Death will do them part, for eternity is not enough time and the world is not large enough for the two of them.

* * *

**Zethes was actually a very interesting character to write. I hope you liked it (my new pairing!), and please review! Hmm, what's the pairing name, Pethes? Pithes? Pipes? **

_Achieving Elysium_

**[EDIT: 12.27.13: Screw you, too, Lori.] Please ignore this, other readers.**


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